Pressure to end legal self-regulation

THE Government is coming under increasing pressure to end self-regulation of the legal profession after two solicitors had their businesses closed down when it was discovered they abused their positions to take out millions of euro from various banks.

The High Court heard yesterday that Dublin-based solicitor Michael Lynn, 39, accessed about €26 million from 10 banks by taking out a number of mortgages on the same properties.

A second Dublin solicitor, Thomas Byrne, has gone missing since IIB Bank began proceedings to recover €9m from him.